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New £15m Winchester Student Accommodation

New student housing will be built for the University of Winchester this summer - now planning permission for the scheme's been granted.

Developer Osborne has been given the go-ahead to build on a former hospital site next to the University's King Alfred Campus.

The development is based around the concept of five pavilions and a central facilities hub set within a wooded hillside park.

Each pavilion will be between 2,112 sq m (22,733 sq ft) and 2,816 sq m (30,311 sq ft), with a total of 499 study bedrooms arranged in groups of between five and eight rooms around shared kitchen and dining facilities.

The 400 sq m (4,306 sq ft) central hub will contain a Learning Café, gym and central laundry area, and will be located close to the boundary with the existing campus so that the facilities can be used by the whole university.

Located to the north of the University's King Alfred Campus, the facilities will form a natural extension to the campus with views to the south across Winchester towards St Catherine's Hill and Twyford Down.

A footpath will form a central spine linking all the pavilions together, greenery will extend up the hillside between the pavilion blocks and there will also be a new outdoor performance space on the site.

David Sarson, Development Director for Osborne, said:

"Offering students a range of high quality residential accommodation at an affordable price is an increasingly important for higher education establishments across the UK.

"In a competitive market it is vital that university estates can be built and managed at a price that makes commercial sense both in the short and long term while still providing attractive and functional accommodation for students.

"This development is one of a number of projects Osborne has undertaken for the University of Winchester, as well as performing arts studios, university centre and teaching accommodation.

"We are proud of the successful working relationship that has developed during this time and are looking forward to starting work on our latest project."

The scheme's construction will incorporate elements of prefabrication to minimise waste and maintain high standards.

The bathroom pods will be manufactured off site and the team is also exploring the use of Innovaré SIPS panels or light gauge steel framing systems for the construction of the external walls, which could also be manufactured off site.

Work on site is expected to start this summer and be completed for full occupation in 2013.